Combination display table and case



Jan. 22, 1957 M. M. M BRIDE 2,778,703

COMBINATION DISPLAY TABLE AND CASE Filed April 6, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet l I 4 mW IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 22, 1957 M. M. MCBRIDE 2,778,703

" COMBINATION DISPLAY TABLE AND-CASE Filed April e, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 wwzmw ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 22, 1957 M. M. MCBRIDE 2,778,703

COMBINATION DISPLAY TABLE AND CASE Filed April 6, 1953 4.Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 22, 1957 M. M. MCBRIDE 2,778,703

COMBINATION DISPLAY TABLE AND C A SE Filed April 6, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Unimd tes Patenr 2,778,703 ooMBINATIoN DISPLAY TABLE AND CASE Morris -MeBride, Arlington Heights," n7, assignor' to Eldon Company, Chicago, :Ill., a 'partnership consisting of Morris M; McBride and Joseph F. Houdek Application April 6, 1953, Serial No. 347,031 2 Claims.- cl. 312-265) This invention relates to adisplay table and storage cabinet structure,'-and more particularly to a structure of this *charaet'erthat is readily-assembled and disassembled and to themethod of fabricating and assembling the same;- The structure has numerous'uses and may, for example, be used inapplications wherein it isdesired to provide a displaytable for merchandise and the like and a readilyacce'ssible storage space for stocks'of merchandise conveniently arranged and close at hand to the-merchandise being displayed;

An object of thisinvention is to provide-a combination table-and cabinet structure, having the characteristic of.-

. panels and then 'secu'ring'the sarne-to'top and bottom' panels. t

A further'r'jbject of the'invention isthe' provision of a method for assembling a cabinet structure wherein wall panels areforme'd 'with interlocking portions that slidably receive each other and the wall panels are then secured to top and bottom'pan'els by shaffmembers'placed at the corners of the structure; Still a further object is to provide a method of a'ssemblin'gfa combination display table and cabinet structure, having wall portions formed with interlockingfrn'embersiand in "which'th'e steps'o'f assembly in-. cludeithe securing of the wall panels to the to'p'and bottom panels of the cabinet while the cabinet is inverted. Still a further object isfto provide a methodof fabricating a panel structure'wlierein a panelpoftion' is equipped With a recessed and the rim 23 extends above and belowthe table welding. or similar means.

"ice

2 Fig. 11 is a broken, sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1; p

Fig. 12 is a broken, sectional view, taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 13 is a broken, transverse, vertical, sectional View, taken at a corner of the cabinet structure and showing the back panel and bottom panel secured together; I

Fig. 14 is a perspective view-of the top panel, showing the parts thereof in spaced apart relation and prior to assembly; and

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the bottom panel, showing the parts thereof in spaced apart relation prior to their assembly.

Reference will first be made to Fig. l, in particular, which shows the display table and cabinet structure in assembled condition and having end panels 10 and '11, a rear panel 13, a front panel 15, a top panel 16, and a bottom panel 17 equipped with a foot or base 18 and shelf 19 and sliding doors 2i) mountedwithin the front panel .15. Ifdesired, the sliding doors 20 may be equipped with finger grips 21 to facilitate opening and closing of the doors;

Referring, in particular, to Figs. 1 and 3, the top panel 16 is seen to consist of a rectangular panel portion'zz equipped with arim 23. .T he table or'panel portion'22'is member 22*and encloses the periphery thereof, and when in position is rigidly secured to the-table member by spot The rim member 23 is generally. c s haped and includes ahorizontal wall 24, formed integrally at each end with laterally eXtendingwaHs 25 and the upper wall 25 isequipped with an'integra'lly depending wall portion 26. ,Thetop 22 is,,equipped-along the sides and ends thereof with depending wall portions 27 that are adapted to abut the side walls24 of the C-shaped channel member or rim 2 3. Q-lf desired, the corner portions of the table 22 may be cutoff, as is illustrated "in Fig; 14.

In fabricating the top panel 16, the table or panel portion 22 is first formed with. depending edgew'alls 27,, and after formation of the rim members 23 and .b'endingthe same to conform with the dimensions of the table 22, the rim members are slippedover the peripheral edges of the table 22 and enclose the saine. .A'fterfthe rim members have been placed about the table 22, the dt pending'.edges 27 of the table memberrabuttheside walls 24 of the rim members 23 and the rim and table may be rigidly joined by spot welds =28, asv is illustrated'best in Fig. 3. Preferably, theassembly of the top panel :16 is'complet'ed tfthe 1 factory, and the panel member is in'completjed condition peripheral rim by inserting the rim portions over the edges of the panel portion and'th'en securingzth'e panel portion to the rims. Additional objects and advantages will appear as'the specification proceeds.

A-n embodiment of the invention is illustratedinthe accompanyingdrawings in 'which- Fig. '1 is a perspective view of the completely-assembled cabinet structure; I

Fig. .2 is a broken, horizontal, sectional View taken at a corner of the cabinet and just below the top .panel thereof;

Fig. 3 is a transverse, vertical section, :taken through the upper-rear edge'of the cabinet;

Fig. -4'is a transverse, vertical section taken through the lower rear edge of the cabinet structure;

Fig.5 is a perspective view of a gusset plate used with the top panel of the cabinet structure;

Figs"6 through 9,-inclusive, are perspective :views showing the steps of-asse'mblingthe cabinetstructure;

Fig. '10 is :a ibroken trans'verse, vertical, sectional view taken. along-the lower-rear edge of-the"cabinetstructuret and shows the base or foot attached thereto;

when-sent to the customer.

The bottom .pane1 17- formed in a similar manner and includes a rectangular panel portion 29fand rims 30. The panel .portion 29 is equipped along its edges'with depending edge walls 30 and if desired the corner portions of the panel portionmaybe cutoff asis illustrated best :in Fig. 15. The-rim portions 30, are generally U-shaped and include horizontal side walls ,31, formed integrally .with laterally extending top and'bottomwall's32 After formation of the panel portion 29 and the rim members 30, the rim membersare slid-overthe peripheral edges .ofthe panel portion andlin. assembled condition the turneddown edges 3fi.of:the.pane1portion29 are seen to abut the horizontal Wall portions 31 of the rim members. The rims and panel portions mayfthenbe -rigidly secured together by. welding the walls 30fand 3-1'atfinjtervals as is indicated best in Fig.4 by thenunte'railflsli;

Preferably, the bottom 17 of the cabinet structure is completely forfried with the panel portion 29 and' rim upon which the cabinet structure rests and is equipped with vertically-extending side Walls 37 and end walls 38, each having laterally-turned edge portions 39 that abut the under surface of the bottom panel portion 29 and are secured thereto by a plurality of tack welds 49, as seen best in Fig. 13. Since a welding operation is employed in securing the foot 34 to the bottom panel 17, it is desired that this operation be performed as part of the factory fabrication. Similarly, a gusset plate 41 (Fig. 5 equipped with angularly-disposed side walls 42, is secured to each corner of the top panel 16 by tack welds 43, as is seen in Fig. 12. Each of the gusset plates 41 is equipped with a pair of off-center and spaced-apart threaded apertures 44, extending therethrough that are adapted to threadedly receive a shaft 45, that will be subsequently described in detail. A single shaft 45 is used at each corner of the structure and therefore only one of the apertures in each of the plates 41, but the off-center arrangement makes the plates interchangeable and one of the apertures 41 will be aligned with a corner shaft 45.

Each of the end panels and 11 are turned laterally along the side edges thereof to form the front and rear corner portions 46. Each of the corner portions 46 are turned laterally to form members 47 that extend toward the interior of the cabinet structure. The members 47 are curled at their ends to form a substantially cylindrical hook member 48.

In a similar manner, the rear panel 13 is equipped at each end with a laterally extending end portion 49 that extends toward the interior of the cabinet structure and is contiguous with the members 47 of the end walls when the cabinet structure is assembled. The ends of the members 49 are curled, to form a cylindrical tube member 50, having a passage therethrough that slidably receives the shafts 45. This structure is best seen in Fig. 2 and it is apparent that while the tubular portion 50 receives the shaft 45, the hook member 48 of the end walls slidably receives the cylindrical tube 50 of the rear wall when the members are assembled.

The front panel 15 of the cabinet structure is equipped at each end with an arrangement that is identical to that of the end portions of the rear panel 13 and similar cylindrical tube members are formed to receive the shafts 45. Since this portion of the structure is identical, it

is not shown in detail and it is believed that further description is not necessary for purposes of making the disclosure clear.

The front panel 15 is formed along its top and bottom edges, as well as the ends thereof, with a pair of abutting runners or channels 51 and 52 that each receive one of the sliding doors 20. The exact structure will be made more clear by referring to Fig. 11, which shows a cross section of the bottom runner members 51 and 52. The doors are each equipped along their lower edge with a pair of rollers or wheels 53 that ride within the bottom channels 51 and 52 to permit the doors to be readily moved from a position closing the interior of the cabinet to a position in which access to the cabinet is permitted. The wheels 53 are mounted upon axles 54, which are secured at one end to the forward panel of the door 26 and at its rear end to a bracket 55, with which each of the door panels 20 is equipped.

The shelf 19 is a rectangular member equipped with downwardly turned edge portions 56. If desired, the corner portions of the shelf 19 may be cut off at an angle, as is indicated in Fig. 2. The shelf 19 is supported intermediate the top and bottom walls of the cabinet structure upon a brace or bracket 57, provided adjacent each corner of the cabinet and carried by the end walls 10 and 11. As seen in Fig. 2, each bracket or support 57 is welded to the members 47 and is equipped with a slot 58 that receives the downwardly turned edges 56 of the shelf and supports the same.

All of the panel members are joined to form a unitary cabinet structure by the shafts 45 which are positioned at each of the corners of the structure and the shafts 45 are threaded at each end and are threadedly received at one end in the threaded openings 44 of the gusset plates 41 and extend through apertures 59 in the bottom panel member 29 and are secured in position by nuts 60, which are drawn against the bottom panel portion 29 and against washers 61 that may be interposed therebetween. The upper and lower edges of the end Walls 10 and 11 and the front and rear walls 13 and 15 are turned inwardly to provide flanges that are all designated by the numeral 62 and are seen best in Figs. 3, 4, 12, and 13.

Assembly All of the panel members so far described are fabricated at a factory, and the cabinet is shipped to the customer in knocked down form or with the sections or panels independent of each other. When the customer receives the cabinet, he first places the top panel 16 in inverted position upon the floor, so that the gusset plates 41 are on the side that faces upwardly. A shaft 45 is then threaded into the aperture 44 in each of the gusset plates and extends vertically and upwardly therefrom as is illustrated in Fig. 6, which shows this step. Following this step, the shelf 19 is lowered between the shafts 45 and onto the top panel 16, so that the laterally turned edges 56 of the shelf face upwardly. The shelf 19, when in this position, is illustrated in Fig. 7.

In the next step, the rear panel 13 and the front panel or frame 15 are mounted upon the shafts 45. In each case, this is accomplished by inserting the shafts 45 in the cylindrical connectors 50 of each of the front and rear panels. This step is also illustrated in Fig. 7, and it will be noted that the doors 20 have been removed from the front frame or panel 15 for the purpose of making the illustration more clear.

The succeeding step is illustrated in Fig. 8 and consists of placing the end panels 10 and 11 in place, and this is accomplished by sliding the cylindrical hook portions 48, at each side of the end panels, over the cylindrical connectors 50 of the front and rear panels. It will be noted in Fig. 2 that the hook member 48 does not form a closed cylinder, and a gap is left along the edge, so that the walls of the front and rear panels may be received therein. Following this step, as is shown in Fig. 9, the bottom member or panel 17 is placed in inverted position upon the side panels and end panels, so that the shafts 45 extend through the apertures 59, provided by the panel portion 29 of the bottom panel. The washers 61 are then placed over the ends of the shafts 45 and the nuts 60 are threaded onto the ends of the shaft "and are brought into tight engagement with the bottom panel to draw all of the members tightly together. If necessary, a pliers or wrench may be used to tighten the nuts.

After this step, the entire cabinet is assembled, and it is evident that it is upside down. All that remains, then, is to turn the cabinet structure over, so that the foot 34 rests upon the floor. When this is done, the shelf 19, which has been resting upon the top panel 16, will fall downwardly and upon the brackets 47 (which can be seen in Figs. 8 and 9), and the shelf is then supported at proper position in the cabinet structure.

The cabinet can be assembled quickly and easily by a single individual and with the simplest of tools. It is virtually impossible to join the panel members incorrectly, and elaborate instructions are, therefore, not required. If it becomes necessary to ship the cabinet, it is a simple matter to disassemble it, so that it may be readily handled and will occupy only a minimum of space. In disassembling, the steps that have been described are carried out in reverse order.

All of the panel members may be fabricated cheaply since only the simplest and most inexpensive operations are required. I prefer to join what parts are necessary at the factory by welding and, therefore, prefer that the rim members enclosing the peripheral edges of the top and bottom panel portions be secured in position thereon at the factory. The steps in the fabrication of the top and bottom panel are quite simple and require only the separate formation of the panel portions and the channel members. As is illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15, the channel portions are simply slipped over the edges of the panels and then secured thereto. Preferably, the front panel or frame 15 is shipped from the factory to the customer with the sliding doors properly mounted within the channels or runways 51 and 52.

After the cabinet structure has been assembled by the customer, it is immediately ready for use and operates to provide a large storage space for merchandise which may be supported upon the shelf 19 and upon the bottom panel 29. The sliding doors 20 may be moved from one side to another to provide ready access to the compartment provided in the cabinet while the merchandise stored therein can normally be completely enclosed by closing the sliding doors. The upper panel 16 provides a display table and the panel portion or table portion 22 is recessed. The rims 23 vthereby function as guards and confine the merchandise upon the table and prevent accidental removal therefrom.

While in the foregoing specification an embodiment of the invention has been set out in considerable detail for purposes of illustration, it is apparent that these details may be varied greatly by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A display table and cabinet structure comprising a bottom panel, a front and a rear panel each being supported upon said bottom panel, said front and rear panels each being provided with a pair of lateral members extending inwardly from the vertical edges of said panels and formed integrally therewith, said members having curled inner edges defining vertically extending tubular connecting portions having longitudinally closed vertical passages therethrough, an elongated shaft extending through each of the vertical passages of said tubular connecting portions and being secured at its lower end to said bottom panel, a pair of end panels supported upon said bottom panel, each of said end panels having vertical corner portions and providing lateral members extending inwardly from the said corner portions and disposed in contiguous relation with the lateral members of said front and rear panels, the lateral members of said end panels providing cylindrical hook portions slidably receiving said connecting portions therein, and a top panel supported upon said front, rear and end panels and secured to the upper ends of said shafts, whereby, all of said panels are interlocked to provide a rigid cabinet structure.

2. A cabinet structure comprising a bottom panel, a front panel and a rear panel each being supported upon said bottom panel, said front and rear panels each having a pair of integrally formed and vertically extending tubular connecting members spaced inwardly from the vertical edges thereof and defining longitudinally closed passages therethrough, elongated shafts extending through the vertical passages of said tubular connecting members and being secured at their lower ends to said bottom panel, a pair of end panels each being supported upon said bottom panel, each of said end panels having laterally turned side edges abutting the vertical edges of said front and rearpanels, each of said end panels also being provided with a pair of integrally formed cylindrical hook portions spaced inwardly from the abutted edges of said front and rear panels and slidably receiving said connecting members, and a top panel supported upon said front, rear and end panels and secured to the upper ends of said shafts, whereby all of said panels are interlocked to provide a rigid cabinet structure having flush front, rear and end panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 677,176 Cochran June 25, 1901 758,331 Ohnstrand Apr. 26, 1904 1,154,254 Lachman Sept. 21, 1915 1,251,719 Wege Jan. 1, 1918 1,837,391 Anderson Dec. 22, 1931 2,227,150 ()lston Dec. 31, 1940 2,240,767 Friedel May 6, 1941 2,483,606 Albach et a1. Oct. 4, 1949 2,572,333 Greitzer Oct. 23, 1951 2,651,557 Kelly Sept. 8, 1953 

